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We had just pulled back onto the main road when we heard the sirens heralding the arrival of the state police, thanks to an “anonymous” tip and the pictures Marco took. I leaned my head back on the headrest and closed my eyes. I must have made some kind of noise because Marco asked, “Are you okay?”
I opened one eye and said, “As okay as I can be given what we just witnessed.”
Marco shook his head. “It never really gets any easier.”
“I sure hope not.”
20
Liam
After we got the girls to the hospital, Marco’s contact from the Pennsylvania state troopers took over, and we all headed back home. Part of me wished I could stay to see the girls reunited with their families. The rest of me was exhausted. I didn’t even realize how much tension I’d been holding in my body until I could suddenly relax. Somewhere along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until Marco gently nudged me when we got back to my car, which was still in Moonlight Inn’s parking lot.
I rubbed my eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
He gave me a gentle smile. “It’s all good. That was your first op. It takes a lot out of you when you’re not used to it.”
I rolled my neck and shoulders. “I didn’t realize how tense I was until it was all over.”
Marco squeezed my shoulder. “You did good tonight. You kept everybody calm and got the job done quickly. Thank you.”
My chest warmed at the compliment. “You’re welcome. I was happy to be there.” I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the door. “Oh, hey,” I said before I got out of the car. “When do you want to reschedule for training?”
He checked the clock on the dashboard. Almost midnight. “I think tomorrow’s out. We both need sleep.”
“Yeah, and Sean and Jeremy are back. They stayed at Jeremy’s apartment tonight, but they’re coming here tomorrow to see Mom and me. And Sean mentioned something about looking for a house to rent.”
“Sounds like you have a busy day tomorrow. I’ll call you Monday, and we can set something up.”
“Sounds good,” I said. I grabbed my medical bag out of the backseat and then closed the door. I gave an awkward wave goodbye and headed to my car. I’d had to keep reminding myself that Marco was just a friend with benefits and didn’t want me to kiss him goodnight. I sighed and wondered if I was making a mistake hooking up with him. I shook my head. That ship had sailed. I wasn’t going to stop now.
* * *
The weeks following that first rescue mission took on a rhythm of their own. I worked at the VNA three or four days a week, did self-defense training twice a week, and went out with Miguel on Friday nights. And at least once a week, I had incredibly hot sex with Marco.
The man was bossy as hell in the bedroom—and I loved it. I wasn’t sure when I’d developed that particular kink, but I wasn’t complaining.
Something else that started to happen was that I got back into playing music. Despite having a piano and guitar at my mother’s place, I hadn’t touched either since I’d returned from the Middle East. Every time I’d tried, I just couldn’t. It had made me sad because music had always been such a big part of my life. When I had talked to my therapist about it, she’d suggested that the creative part of me was still shut down from my experience in the Middle East. Marco had kept telling me to give it time and that it would come back when I was ready.
On Thanksgiving Day, that all changed. Our family decided to have Thanksgiving dinner at the hotel restaurant along with the guests and the workers serving that day. There were two sittings: the first from one to three-thirty and the other from four-thirty to seven. We went to the second sitting. It was just Mom, Sean, Jeremy, and me. Mom’s boyfriend, Robert, came later for dessert.
Toward the end of the evening, when there were just a few groups left in the dining room and the pianist had left for the evening, Sean said to me, “Why don’t you play us something? I haven’t heard you play the piano in ages.”
I stared wide-eyed at my brother, who was sitting next to Jeremy Fitzgerald, the most sought-after concert pianist in the world, and asked, “Did you hit your head or something?”
Jeremy snorted a laugh and my mother just shook her head. “I’m serious,” Sean said. “I’ve been telling Jeremy how good you are since we met.”
I gestured at Jeremy. “I amnotpeople-will-pay-thousands-of-dollars-to-hear-me play good.”
“That’s only for fundraisers,” Jeremy murmured.
I narrowed my eyes at Jeremy. “That’s not helping.”
“Come on, Liam,” Sean cajoled. “Just one song. Play something by Billy Joel. You like him. You used to play his music all the time.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. But I’mnotplaying ‘Piano Man.’” I pointed at my brother. “And you’re singing with me.”
“Wait, what?” he sputtered.
